There have been allegations that the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is burning government straw worth lakhs of taka due to non-distribution with local influential people. Local cattle farmers are angry and disappointed about this. However, the BADC authorities claim that the straw is being burned to increase the fertility of the land.
It was learned from talking to BADC officials, employees and locals that paddy is cultivated on about 300 acres of land for research at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) located in Tebunia of Pabna Sadar Upazila. After harvesting this paddy, a huge amount of straw was left. This straw was later sold at auction according to government rules. Every year, 7-10 lakh taka is deposited in the government treasury. But this time it did not happen. The straw is being burned due to non-distribution among local influential people and officials. This income has been a permanent source of regular income for the farm for a long time. People around are looting some of it again. And field after field, the straw is being burned to ashes.
Employees of the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) do not want to talk about this publicly. However, they said on condition of anonymity that all this straw is being burned due to conflicts between local politicians and the indifference of officials.
And residents around BADC claim that every year, these straws were sold at auction or through negotiations for 8-10 thousand taka per acre. But this time, local influential people are demanding 4-5 acres for free each. Some want to pay 2-3 thousand taka per acre. As a result, the officials were being deprived of their share. For this, senior officials of BADC decided to hold a meeting and burn it.
Initially, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Tebunia Deputy Director Agriculturist SM Mahbub-or-Rashid did not want to talk to the media. Later, when he spoke to the media, his claim was somewhat different. He claimed that orders had come from higher quarters to burn straw and use it as fertilizer. The ash of burnt straw would be helpful in increasing the fertility of the land.
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